Dark Fantasy Short Stories

After looking for a quiet town where he can finally hang up his gun belt, a weary gunslinger has to face one final enemy before he can retire in peace. "Tumbleweeds" is part of the Tumbleweeds & Terror™ series of standalone tales of the weird west.

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a short story about love and letting go. Join Joliver Barleywood, a halfling bard of the Aevalorn Parishes, on a heartfelt journey through the enigmatic Athenaeum, a secret library only found when needed. Just before midnight, Jak Lot frantically busts into the library, seeking words to convince their love to stay and not sail away for a distant suiter, engaging in a marriage of convenience and status. Through the magical power of words, Jak seeks to pen the plea that will anchor her heart to his. Joliver offers to help Jak, but in the process, he ...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a story about the woe of omniscience. Dundermutton is a magical ram who can perceive everything in the universe. Tired of his otherworldly obligations, he sleeps in to enjoy a holiday. Still, the universe isn’t having it—fate screams for his attention. Terror approaches! Opening his mind’s eye, Dundermutton witnesses an unfolding tragedy. Far away, Gammond Brandyford, a troublesome halfling of the Aevalorn Parishes, has stumbled upon a magical chalice capable of transforming water into wine. What could possibly go wrong? Ignoring the universe's ...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about self-discovery. Lured by the promise of treasure, Gammond Brandyford, a halfling with a knack for trouble, takes Vongur, a dwarven companion whose soul is trapped within an amulet, to a sacred sanctuary hidden in the mountains. In all truthfulness, Vongur might be looking for a connection to his past, but Gammond only wants a quick buck. Still, at the sanctuary, Gammond must defeat its steadfast guardian to acquire the memories Vongur’s been searching for. Together, they confront a challenge that tests their courage and ...

* Originally Shortlisted in a 2023 Writing Competition * From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about hubris and the abuse of knowledge. Set against the backdrop of the fantasy world of Aevalorn Tales, we follow the ambitious Mulzunite academic Vabriel Shuno on his quest to possess luck itself. After spending two years collecting purportedly lucky creatures, Vabriel seeks one last creature believed to be the pinnacle of good luck. And armed with the luck of his collection, he believes he’s too lucky to fail! On a gloomy night near the Free City of Enceröss, Vabriel ...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a story about remembering and commitment. When Benzie Fernbottom - an eager, helpful halfling innkeeper - learns that Elina Hogsbreath, the inn’s proprietor, will shut down her business for a day, Benzie becomes very concerned. Unable to accept her explanation, Benzie makes more than one very foolish decision and ends up witnessing more than he gambled for. With his and Elina’s lives on the line, can Benzie help save the inn and maybe learn something about unhealthy attachment along the way? Fans of Brandon Sanderson, Travis Baldree, and S. L. ...

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a story about the wrongheadedness of prejudice. As the Mulzunite Knight, Ser Rastacil Selabras, traverses the flooded riverbed of the Free City of Enceröss, he comes across a halfling Child of Yondalla, Maedrey Puck, camped nearby. An unlikely and unwelcome encounter, Ser Selebras is eager to be rid of the halfling's company. But when Maedrey offers him a magic potion gifted by the goddess Yondalla–promising to shorten his journey from a week to a single day–Ser Selebras makes a hasty promise in exchange. However, Maedrey remains skeptical of the...

A collection of horror/thriller stories with surprise endings to chill you and thrill you to the bone. The creepers include: TOP OF THE WORLD: A dangerous hybrid of several species of animals has escaped from its cage at a remote research facility in the Arctic during a prolonged blizzard. THE ASYLUM: Paranormal investigators are sent to an abandoned mental institution when a teenager disappears after visiting it for a good scare with his buddies on Halloween. THE DEVIL'S DIARY: A horror author rents a creepy cabin to cure a bad case of writer's block and finds a journal written by a serial...

"Brainfire II: More Light and Dark Stories to Ignite Your Imagination" is an eclectic collection of 27 fiction stories. The stories run the genre gambit from action and adventure to horror, fantasy, science fiction, comedy, and satire. Jack Sprat I: The 3-H Club introduces Jack and his friends–flesh-eating shapeshifters from beneath the Earth. Jack Sprat II: Dignitary Dinner - Jacks's story continues as he talks about his life to Amanda, his latest victim. The Best Rejection Letter Ever – How do some writers deal with rejection letters? Here's how Anthony Mormaer deals with his. The ...

Fantasy fanatics hang on because The Year's Best Fantasy, Volume 2 will take you on a fantastic journey like no other! Prepare to embark on yet another fantastic adventure with award-winning fantasy editor Paula Guran. Delve into realms that exceed the limits of your imagination and embrace the surreal! Enjoy tales ranging from wonderful to wicked. From lore and legends to myths and fables of alternative realities, you will discover bewitchment with every story.

Prometheus - one of the keenest Titans to ever walk the earth. Until, that is, his weakness for the human race resulted in his imprisonment. For thousands of years, Prometheus's only certainty was his daily torture at Zeus's hand. Now, unchained by the Eternal Guardians, he spends his days in solitude, trying to forget the past. He's vowed no allegiance in the war between mortal and immortal, but when a beautiful maiden seeks him out and begs for his help, he's once again powerless to say no.

Scant years after the Civil War, a mysterious family confronts the legacy that has pursued them across centuries, out of slavery, and finally to the idyllic peace of the town of Rosetree. The shattering consequences of this confrontation echo backwards and forwards in time, even to the present day.

A strange symbol. Supernatural events. Portals to parallel worlds. Strange things are afoot in coastal New England. A group of extraordinary writers gathered in Salem, Massachusetts, at the legendary Hawthorne Hotel to collaborate on an eerie anthology for the Witches of Salem writers’ retreat hosted by J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon. These talented writers wrote a collection of short stories in a cocreated world that will satisfy even the most hardcore dark fantasy and speculative fiction listeners. Curse of the Spiral is a new paranormal dark fantasy anthology.

Young Rory and Kipp embark on a fantastical journey with their wise mentor, the wizard Oswald, to uncover the secrets of an ancient magical artifact. Their quest leads them across sprawling landscapes, where they fight mythical creatures, forge unlikely friendships, and discover hidden truths about themselves and the world around them.As they inch closer to their goal, they must confront not only external dangers but also their own deepest fears and doubts. Will they be able to find the source of the ancient magic and restore balance to the land, or will their quest lead them down a ...

The thing the machines consume is us. Ready to lease out your mind? Or pay for your next meal with involuntary ads? The Closet Full of Time collection contains five short stories that speak to that sinking feeling that we're serving the machines instead of the other way around. That our inventions are taking things we can’t afford to lose.

Samantha Moon returns in an all-new story! Whoever heard of a Leprechaun losing his pot of gold? As Sam digs deeper, she’s faced with the question: was the gold lost or was it stolen? Or maybe, just maybe, something else? The search is on for what might just prove to be Sam’s wildest case yet! Click BUY NOW or READ FOR FREE!

Welcome to futures profound, dark and unexpected… A businessman in the year 2047 awakens late one morning to discover that everything that has ever been written or entered on the internet has become instantly accessible to him. Then comes the terror of realising that his entire sordid life is now in the public domain. An Arnold Schwarzenegger replica arrives on Planet Strong, a theme-world teeming with Schwarzenegger look-a-likes, to compete in the Mr Arnold bodybuilding contest. Suddenly he finds his existence weirdly paralleling that of the plot of the movie Total Recall – and someone...

On the lonely planet Satu, where sun sunlight is a precious commodity, and fear is a constant companion, Hana lives a solitary existence. Her world is shattered when a mysterious stranger seeks refuge from the terrifying Rugaru, creatures who stalk the night. They forge an unlikely bond as they navigate a treacherous landscape of secrets and survival. But their fragile alliance is tested when a sinister truth begins to unravel, forcing them to confront a destiny neither could have imagined. The line between hunter and hunted is blurred with each heartbeat, and their survival hinges on a ...

En las manos maestras de Neil Gaiman, la magia es mucho más que un mero juego de engaños... Una recopilación de treinta relatos, poemas narrativos y piezas breves componen esta maravillosa novela de fantasía e ilusiones.

When Daddy put Granny out on the hill to die he thought that was that - but Daddy had another think coming to him. This is a short story of country witchcraft - just like it says in the subtitle. If you want to read something longer you REALLY ought to hunt up my novel Tatterdemon.